A Revitalized AY Initiative
RATIONALE
Despite honest efforts by the present crop of leaders, our AY programs and collective initiatives to enhance the spiritual life of the members of the Filipino Ministry have not gone beyond routines and poorly-conceived programs that make the AY activities predictable, relatively boring, and short in accomplishing its desired purpose. Some issues have to be discussed here in order to put some light to what ails our ministry.
Basic Leadership Issues/Principles
1. The “pwede na” mentality:
The worship of God requires “with all thy thoughts, with all thy might, and with all thy heart.” Sadly, this kind of worship eludes us because of the “pwede na” mentality. To begin with, we need to exorcise from our worship activities the demon of “pwede na”, if ever we were to think that we can put up a church worthy of His worship.
One case, a graphic example of the “pwede na” malaise, aside from our weekly AY programs, is characterized in the ministry of the choir (some rules will have to be instituted if the choir members and the director desire to rise above their present level of performance competence). We see members who will come only for performances, while ignoring completely a series of practices that delve on the dynamics of singing a particular song; hence, you have a choir that sings without confidence, lacking corporate dynamism, almost singing each to his own, because of “pwede na”.
It will be well for us to understand and remember fully, before we embark on a number of ”overhauling” initiatives, to make things any better, that worship is not about us. It’s about Him! It is not catering to people’s whims and caprices; it is giving the Lord the true adulation He rightfully deserves! When we are all attuned to this perception, and work fully to enhance this understanding, the worship of the Lord will explode with an amazing impact to those souls who are “waiting to be gathered in” and who shall, in the future, bear the same witness to others.
2. Leadership from the standpoint of popularity:
Church leadership cannot, or should not, desire to be politically popular. Genuine church leadership devotes its highest initiatives to boost the worship of God among a people who, by themselves, have removed the importance of self in serving the Lord, among a people who think highly of their God, among a congregation who understands fully the greatness and awesomeness of the Creator, and among a community of believers who will exert every effort and extend its unconditional commitment to give Him honor. These people are known to be the “Remnant”: Few in number but steadfast in their desire to please their God!
Incidentally, popularity breeds mediocrity. Popularity gives life to the “pwede na” mentality. Popular leadership clamors to please the preferences of the majority (para mas marami”), which are often self-serving, while in the process sacrificing what is significantly critical and vital in the corporate life of the church; hence, stagnation and the almost complete absence of spiritual growth becomes more the norm than an exception among a people who profess service to the Lord.
We can never grow when our leaders want to remain “lovey-dovey” with the members “para walang samaan ng loob”. Tact in espousing growth initiatives, obviously, is imperative! However, leaders should be brave enough to walk the fine line between loving your neighbors and telling them the painful truth to save them from themselves. There will be a downside to this (this is discussed in the next item) that a leader must not fear to confront, a “fallout”: “ayaw na naming mag-atend ng church. Kayo na lang!”
3. A culture that celebrates “Sama ng Loob”:
A political downside to many growth initiatives in church is the “sama ng loob” mentality from our culture that seeks overt recognition for our “august perception and existence”, despite the fact that we attend programs at will and obvious convenience, and relatively are bystanders and stealthy in the thrust of the church to move forward. This “fallout” is a bitter (re-birthing) pill that we need to swallow if we want to be effective in the ministry.
Interestingly, those who are easily dissuaded and forego churchgoing because of issues involving commitment and discipline are the very same people who take church life for granted. They are, in effect, looking for a motivation to justify their token interest in churchgoing. They will clutch at the most inane rationale to put rhyme and reason for their tendency to put church life at the bottom of their totem pole of priorities, and what greater convenience to do it—blame the leadership or a fellow brother or sister for their decision to stop attending church.
The line that separates the true from the false worshippers is indeed stark! Mature and true worshippers are not sidestepped by the foibles and weaknesses of the church. Nothing impedes them in their desire to serve the Lord!
As a church, we shall continue to labor with these individuals (na may sama ng loob) to encourage them to turn around for the sake of their eternal destiny. But we should never allow them to stunt the growth of the church because of their infantile behavior. If we need to continue without them, we will do so. At least, we will not have extra pieces of baggage to carry in the rather arduous work to build a memorial for God.
4. Selecting leaders: Committed and Teachable
In selecting leaders, let us not focus on people who are obviously educated and gifted. These are the parameters that the world uses to appoint leaders. If, in case, we can see from among us people with skills and talent and commitment to serve, by all means, let us enlist them to exercise the leadership that this infant congregation so direly need. They will be a boon to the work.
The Lord, however, provided us a model is selecting spiritual leaders. Those he selected were people who have shown the importance of commitment and are humble and teachable.
Crude and uneducated fishermen were taken from the rough by the wonderful Savior to change the course of the world. The same wonderful Jesus can make the Filipino Ministry grow from people whose only credential is commitment and a heart that is humble enough to learn. If all of us, meaning ALL OF US, are humble and teachable, on top of an overwhelming commitment to serve the Lord, we will have a ministry that will defy anything thrown to stifle us by the enemy. We shall overcome not by our own might, but in the might of the Spirit of the Lord!
